Take time to think when picking a major

Reading through the list of undergraduate degrees offered at many colleges these days is a daunting task. With so many options - electrical engineering or textile and apparel management - how is one to choose?

MU academic adviser Rachel Cobb said she advises students "to think about what their interests are; where their abilities and strengths are" when choosing a major.

Students should also consider "what they value in a career and work environment," Cobb said.

History and political science major Erin Hamby suggests taking introductory classes to get a feel for a specific area of academic interest.

"If you want to be a psych major, take Psych 1000," Hamby said.

Hamby started as an agricultural economics major, toyed with the idea of becoming an education major, but eventually decided on history and political science in accordance with her plans to attend law school.

All students have until the end of their sophomore year to declare a major so students can survey a variety of disciplines during their freshman and sophomore years.

Also important to remember is that only about 50 percent of people use their degree in correlation with their careers, Cobb said, meaning an undergraduate degree is not a life sentence.